Sword Of Cherry Petals
by AWinx
Summary: After a near death encounter with a demon, Haruko Adachihara realised that the world isn't safe, and that she, her family and the human race are vulnerable. She becomes a Demon Slayer to protect and ensure the safety of not only her father, but also other people, and thus embarks on a journey to find answers and defeat the demons, meeting friends along the way. OC insert story.


**Hello! So I'm gonna say that I'm into Demon Slayer. The story, animation and characters are what I love about this show, especially the tropes that they broke down. It's already one of my favorite shounen animes along with My Hero Academia and Promised Neverland. And of course, with a new fandom comes a new OC! I decided to do another OC insert story for this anime, but this time I have learned my mistakes from the last OC insert story I published and I'm going to make sure she's perfectly flawed. I apologize if my OC seems like a Mary-sue, but I'm trying my best to flesh her out and display her weaknesses. I'm honestly nervous about posting this because of the reception of my last OC story and that no one likes OC stories. I'm also gonna be slow on updates because I'm currently in my senior year of high-school, so I've gotta complete shit, but I'll try to make time for this story! I'm also gonna be uploading this to AO3 if ever!**

**Anyways, my OC Haruko Adachihara is the main OC of the story (well, it's called an OC story for a reason), along with the deutragonist Kaname Kurogane (my friend's OC), and course Tanjirou and the other KnY characters are part of this, but they are still the main characters of the story.**

**I own Haruko Adachihara and Kaname Kurogane belongs to lapislazuli (I won't say the real name of my friend), Demon Slayer belongs to ufotable and Koyoharu Gotoge!**

* * *

It was a cool, breezy morning in the lakeside that wasn't too far from Mt. Fujikasane. A small and cozy house stood by the lakeside, with a small shed to its right containing fishing supplies. A man in his mid-fifties was sitting in the boat, fishing comfortably with his daughter by his side, who was also attempting to fish.

"Keep your arms held up, and relax." He carefully instructed her.

A dark brown-haired girl with short wavy hair and gray-blue eyes followed as she was told. As she was holding her fishing rod, she stared at it confusingly. "Are you sure I can do this daddy?" she asked, hesitant. "I haven't been able to catch a fish before. You know I'm terrible at this, even if I'm the daughter of a fisherman."

The man laughed deep in his throat, then patted his daughter's back. "Stuff and nonsense, sweetheart," he assured her. "Sure, you haven't caught a single fish properly in the past few years, but that alone doesn't mean that you'll never catch one for as long as you live. It just takes practice and time. Or maybe you've been doing incorrectly."

She pouted at him. "I don't think I did it incorrectly."

"Really now?"

"Daaad!"

He laughed again. "I was just teasing you sweetheart."

She couldn't help but laugh along too. Her dad was eccentric and somewhat of a easygoing fisherman, but that's what she loved about him. Not because he was her father, but because he would often cheer her up and give excellent advice. He had taught her many things, from life lessons to fishing techniques. She was lucky to have a father like her's, and she was pretty sure other people in the world also had the kind of dad she has.

She suddenly felt her rod's line tug. The girl whipped her head around to look at the water, and saw bubbles in the spot of her hook. Excited, she yanked her rod, sending the line out of the water and into the air. A perch was dangling on the hook, struggling to get off it and hop back into the ocean.

"_Daddy, I got one! I got one!_" she exclaimed jovially.

"Oh, nice one sweetheart!" he replied, patting her shoulders. "I told you that you would eventually get a fish, didn't I?"

She shot a big bright smile to her father, the kind of smile a child had when they were gifted with a new toy. "... _Yeah_."

He looked at the perch dangling on the hook of his daughter's rod. "Your first fish is a perch, a big one," he said. "Hooo boy, I guess we're going to be having perch for dinner tonight."

"I'll help you with cooking!" his daughter chirped.

"Yes, yes, please do," he replied, before patting her shoulders again with a proud smile on his face. "You're growing up, Haruko."

* * *

Haruko Adachihara and her father Yuto lived a quiet and normal life near the lakeside. They weren't rich, but they lived happily regardless of their social status. Since they were the only two in the household, they worked together to cook food, clean the house, fish, and make ends meet. It was hard, but it was the least they could do to continue on their daily lives and be provided with food and the living necessities.

Whenever Yuto needed supplies and vegetables, Haruko would often go to the village nearby and ask for the supplies her father needed. She wasn't very popular in the village nearby and just blended in with the people living there, but she had one or two friends there. They often helped her fetch the necessary supplies, and she was grateful for that, even if she believed she was imposing on them.

Haruko gripped on the straps of her straw basket. She turned her head towards her father. "I'm about to fetch the ingredients for dinner tonight!" she called out.

Yuto, who was fixing up the supplies in the shed, turned his head to face his daughter. "Stay safe, my Haru-chi," he said. "Don't be until night."

The brunette nodded. "Yes, father!" Then she hurried off.

She walked towards her usual route to the nearest village. Haruko would first walk straight through the wounds until she came across a fork in the paths. Then she chose the left path, where she passed by some shrines for safety. Sometimes, Haruko would often stop by the shrine and pray for her and her father's safety, and also pray for her safe trip. She wasn't assured that she could handle it by herself, so she thought that it would be helpful if the Gods were to bless her with luck.

The indigo-eye colored girl stopped when she felt something tickle her nose. She blinked, and touched the bridge of her nose to see... _a tinge of snow?_ She looked up curiously, and was greeted by white snow raining down on her. It was snowing.

"Wow, I almost forgot it's already winter..." she muttered. "Father and I are lucky to catch fish today. We won't be able to fish for a while in this season.."

Haruko closed her eyes, inhaled, and exhaled, a sigh of relaxation. It was cold, but the snow was calming, easing her from her worries. She wished she could feel this way forever. Free from worries, relaxed and...

She snapped her eyes back open and shook her head. She didn't want her trance to last until night like her father said. "Oh! I should probably continue walking..."

Haruko was generally a cheerful, affable and friendly girl. She always manages to remain positive throughout her life. However, her cheerfulness came with naïveté and airheadedness, and this didn't smooth the other villagers so much. She always tries her best to be as respectful, levelheaded and mature as possible, but it only came out as social awkwardness, which didn't seem to help her self-esteem. To make matters more concerning, she has a desire to help people, but she has no courage to do so due to her timid nature, and this was another thing she didn't like about herself.

After ten minutes or so of walking, she finally reached the village. It wasn't a very big village, but it was enough to hold about two-hundred people, including families. She entered the village, looking around the passing villagers and the old, wooden houses. She also noticed snow piles on the roofs, and the ground was filling up with snow too, about a feet length. Haruko then headed her way to the small store where she would usually get her ingredients.

"Good morning, Okataro-sama!" Haruko greeted as she stopped in front of the counter.

Okataro was a big, round man who wore a simple green haori over a greyish-brown yukata. He had light-brown hair and a tan complexion, and he often displayed a relaxed and jovial expression on his face, eager to please customers. He was busy piling up vegetables when he noticed his customer. He greeted her with a close-eyed smile.

"Ah, Haru-chi! Buying ingredients to cook a special dinner, I assume?" he asked casually.

She nodded gleefully. "Yes! I would like some herbs, spring onions and soy sauce please."

The round man nodded. "You've got it!" He then walked to the back to fetch the items. Within a minute, Okataro returned to the counter with the requested ingredients.

He joyfully handed them to her. "Here you are."

"Thank you so much!" Haruko thanked him. She took out her cash and placed 30 on the counter.

"Here's the payment."

Okataro shook his hands. "Nah, it's on me! You don't need to pay," he told her.

Haruko blinked twice before looking at him in bewilderment. _"H-Huh?_" she sputtered, as if she was asked to steal a gem. "W-Wait, are you sure about this, Okataro-sama?"

He shook his head. "If it's for you, then I don't mind!"

She couldn't accept his offer like that easily, so she stared at the ground in shame. "But, but I...," she said. "... a-are you really okay with this? I might just be causing you some trouble if I don't pay.."

Okataro seemed to be concerned given her expression. "Don't be so guilty over this, Haru-chi!" he assured her. "I strongly insist. Besides, think of this as a little reward for helping your father... and for when you helped me that one time! _And_ because you were my number one customer since you were little. Ahhh, it was so adorable watching you munch on those rice balls I cooked for you..."

Haruko sweatdropped. "Thanks, but..." She still wasn't sure if it was really okay to accept the offer, no matter how much the vendor insisted.

Okataro handed the ingredients to her, nudging his hands to urge the girl to take them without worry. "Don't be so modest, Haru-chi," he insisted. "Here. I promise it isn't trouble."

Haruko stared at the ingredients._ 'Is it really okay for me to take this?'_ She thought. '_I wouldn't want to cause him some trouble, but... it would be a waste of generosity if I don't accept it. After all, he's a good friend, and I don't want to hurt him also by refusing the offer. So... '_

She nodded and flashed a bright smile. "...Alright, then!" She happily took the ingredients from him. "Thanks again!"

"You're most welcome," Okataro replied jovially. He then shuffled his position to be able to chat with her properly. "How is your father faring?"

"He's doing good," Haruko told him. "I help him out a lot. He even helped me catch my first fish, which is what's going to be our dinner tonight."

Okataro nodded his head. "Ahh, I see, I see," he said. "It's good to see you two are doing well, and your mother would have been so happy..."

A sad smile formed on Haruko's face as she stared down. "...Yeah, I hope she's doing well up there."

* * *

_"Mommy! Your coat smells so nice and is so warm.."_

_She chuckled as she was gently stroking her daughter's hair. "Why thank you sweetheart. I'll give it to you when you're a grown woman..."_

* * *

"So!"

Haruko snapped out of her memory trance.

"Enjoy your dinner! And say hello to your father for me." Okataro said.

The brunette flashed a close eyed smile at him. "I will!" She agreed, and ran off. "Thank you again! Take care!"

Okataro happily waved back at her. "You too, Haru-chi!"

A woman with dark black haired styled in a traditional Japanese styled bun and in a red kimono approached the store. "Okataro-sama, hello."

"Ah, Arisa-sama!" Okataro greeted.

Arisa was also a friend of Haruko and Okataro. She worked as a manager of an inn in the village. She often presented herself in an eloquent, graceful manner, just so she could come off as a good impression to the public. She turned to see Haruko running off. She chuckled. "Ah, it's Haruko-chan," she said. "I would've had a lovely chat with her had I got here sooner. Was she buying from you again?"

"Yes!" Okataro replied happily. "She's helping her father cook a dinner dish: a perch, and it was the first fish she got in well... fishing."

The black-haired woman sweatdropped. "Ah, good, good for her!" She turned to the direction of where Haruko was running. "I certainly hope they're doing well."

Okataro nodded in agreement. "I'm sure they can handle it! I mean— OW!" A hand lightly karate chopped the top of his head.

"_That's for forgetting to give the mackerels last time!_"

"Sorry!"

* * *

Around sunrise, Haruko started cooking for tonight's dinner. She prepared the interior bonfire for cooking, before proceeding to clean the guts of the perches and hanging them on a hook over the fire to cook. While waiting for the perches to cook, she chopped the vegetables. After the perches were cooked, she placed each of them in a bowl of rice, sprinkled them with spring onions and herbs, and finishing it off with pouring soy sauce.

"Wow! Dinner looks fantastic." Yuto complimented, staring at the dishes.

"Hehe, I try dad." Haruko sheepishly said.

The two of them closed their eyes and clapped their hands. "Itadakimasu!" Then they dig into their meal. "It's as yummy as I imagined. Once again, your cooking skills have paid off." Yuto said, munching on his perch.

The brunette sweatdropped once again. "Thanks."

"... You know, perches were one of your mother's favorites," her father reminisced. "There was one time she actually mixed perches with fruits to try a more... 'unique' flavor, so you could imagine what happened to my mouth after that."

Haruko giggled. "If she were here, I imagine she would say 'Congratulations on your first fish, Haru-chi! This will make a good meal for dinner tonight.'" Her father chirped. He then looked at his meal, a sad smile on his face. "... I miss her so much. If only she could see how much you've grown."

"I think she knows now, daddy," Haruko replied softly. "She's watching us from up there."

Yuto immediately regained his composure. "Enough crying! I don't think she would be happy to see us talking about sad stuff. We're supposed to enjoy our dinner and the days to come!"

His daughter laughed at his regained positive demeanour. "Yup!"

* * *

As soon as Haruko finished washing the dishes, her father had told her that he was going to deliver something and that he would come back at night. She was initially concerned, since the night was when demons were free to roam, but was rest assured when he told her that he knew how to defend himself and had a handful of weapons near him.

By nine, she hopped into bed and was instantly out like a light. The cool air in her air and the quiet surroundings was strangely relaxing for the brunette, and she had slept peacefully due to that. At least, for an hour when...

_Thump._

Haruko instantly jolted, alarmed. The sound was so sudden and loud, she was wide awake. "Dad?" She called out. When she didn't receive a reply, she scanned around her dark room, with the light from the moon illuminating the corner. Deciding that she was just imagining things, she laid her head back on the pillow to go back to sleep when she heard the thump again. She sat up and waited for a few moments to hear the sound again...

_Thump._

Now she was certain that she wasn't imagining things. Trying not to get scared, she attempted to assure herself with possibly explanations.

_'Maybe that's the old wood creaking?'_ She thought. _'It has to be. Our house is old, the wood would often creak, and that could be a reasonable explanation for that thump.'_ She heard the thump again, but this time she listened to it closely. Her mind began racing. _'No, that didn't sound like a wooden creak. There's no way wood like that would sound that hard if it was creaking. It would only sound like that if someone were to step on it.'_

She paled after internally saying that sentence, fearing the worst. _'It couldn't be a burglar, right? Or... even worse...'_

The word she was about to say was so alarming in her head, that she stopped thinking. Her heart began beating at a rapid pace and she began sweating profusely. She looked out her window, and saw a _shadow_ fly by. Startled, she let out a yelp before she hopping off her bed and raced downstairs. The brunette panted, then she heard the same thumping noise, yet this time it was continuous. After a few moments of thumping, she heard a growl. But a growl didn't sound like a human's. It sounded vicious and inhumanely gruff, almost like a monster's. That shadow and the noises could only mean one thing.

_'Demons,'_ she repeated in her mind. _'It's demons. I... I have to escape somehow! Before they barge into my house and eat me proudly like I'm cow meat!'_

She was just about to sprint to the door when she heard the back door burst open aggressively. Desperate, she looked around the living room and her eyes laid on the _oshiire_ cabinet.

_'It's the only other place I could hide in!'_ Haruko quickly hid inside the cabinet. She struggled to breathe through the amount of futons and pillows inside.

When she finally settled inside, she slid the door slightly, peered through the cracks, and stifled a gasp. A demon casually entered the household as if he was a family friend. It had long, greasy black hair, red eyes, a long tongue, and was shirtless, only wearing ripped pants below. He licked his tongue savoringly. He was so close to his appetite, he could almost taste it. The demon looked around the house. "Meh, I've seen better houses," he muttered, walking into the kitchen. "Now, where could my prey be?"

As he wandered around the house to look for a human to eat, adrenaline pumped through Haruko's veins and her heart has beaten ten times faster than it ever had. She has only heard of those creatures from civilians and her mom, but she never knew that she would be seeing one herself, let alone hiding from it. Even worse, she was left alone here in this household, _alone_ with a _demon._

_'This is bad, this is bad...'_ She panicked internally. '_There's a demon wandering around my house, and I'm just hiding here. What do I do, what do I do.. I can't get caught and get killed here! Even worse, daddy is still out there somewhere, and he might've been eaten already—no, I can't assume just yet! Even if that's possible... I won't know if don't escape. I have to try to get out of here and get to daddy somehow!'_

Haruko knew this was risky, but she would take her chances. After all, her dad was her remaining family member, and she wasn't gonna sit like a duck inside a cabinet any further. She lost her mom, and she couldn't bear to go through that pain all over again. She had to use her brain and rely on her wits in order to safely escape, get to her dad and run to the village with him until morning. She closed her eyes, and devised a plan.

_'Perhaps... I can make a run for the door when the demon is upstairs,'_ she thought. _'Specifically in a room that is out of reach of the lower floor... my bedroom! I know how to sense if my bedroom door is gonna open. I have to put my senses and instincts to good use this time. It may not be clever, but at least it's a plan I came up with to get out of here! I'll also have to be quick, who knows if that demon was fast..._'

She stiffened when she heard footsteps approach the living room. The demon looked around the living room, his tongue waving. With every second, her breathing became more apparent, her heart beat faster than before and was sweating more than ever. Every time the demon would turn to the direction of the cabinet, she expected him to open it and eat her. She knew that the cabinet would be the first hiding place the demon would check out.

Suddenly, she glanced at the futons and pillows. A lightbulb lit right over her head.

* * *

"Grr... this human can run, but can't hide." The demon frustratingly grumbled. He scratched his head. What's a normal place for a human to hide? Getting an idea, he turned to the _oshiire_ cabinet. He smirked. "Little human, I bet my hungry stomach that_ you're hiding in there!_"

He rushed over to the cabinet and hurriedly slid the door open. "... _Huh? What in the name of Muzan?_"

The demon was greeted with futons and pillows tacked up vertically against the wall. The demon grumbled, silently cursing his luck and violently closed the door. The brunette peeked from behind the pillow, sitting in a cross-legged position. She sighed in relief. Haruko eventually hid herself behind a stack of futons of pillows as so the demon won't be able to see her from behind the pile. She was thankful that her brain had thought of that plan.

The brunette waited behind the stack for a few moments until she heard the demon walk up the stairs. She sensed and heard her bedroom door swing open. On cue, she slid the cabinet door open and made a break for the front door. As she reached the front door, her hands frantically reached for the sliding compartment and hurriedly slid the door open, fearing that the demon would come back down from the noise. As soon as she fully opened the front door, she ran out of the house and into the direction of the lake.

_'God, if you hear me please...! Please let my dad be safe!'_ She inwardly prayed, running as fast as her legs could carry her.

She finally reached the lake, gasping for air. She didn't care if she was out in the open for demons to attack her. She didn't care about running out of breath. All that was on her mind was finding her dad and making sure he was safe. She wouldn't have the strength to go through another family member death, just like last time...

She spotted a large silhouette faraway in the distance. The brunette squinted her eyes to get a better view. When it became closer, the silhouette became more apparent.

A wave of relief washed over her when the figure was clear. "_Daddy!_" Haruko called out.

Yuto turned to his daughter's direction. "_Haruko?!_" He said, shocked. "What are you doing out here?! It's dangerous!"

"Yeah, but... there's a demon in our house! It's not safe here, we must run to somewhere safe!" The brunette pleaded.

"_—?! What?!_"

"_There's a demon in our house! We have to—_"

She suddenly felt something heavy land on her back, and her face was quickly met with grass. The daughter grunted, trying to see what was holding her down. A clawed hand slammed her head onto the ground, so that she wouldn't see who was holding her down.

"HARU!" Yuto screamed.

"HA! Did you think you were capable of getting away from me from that house?!" A demonic voice cackled. "I must say, your skills are impressive, but not enough to outsmart me!"

Then Haruko felt sick to her stomach. It was voice of the greasy long-haired demon that was wandering around her house earlier. Here he was, about to devour his prey. She desperately struggled, violently jerking her body upwards to pry the demon off her, but it was no use. The demon was far more heavy than she was. His weight felt like an anvil pressing onto her back. This was it for her. This was the end. She was done for. _She was gonna die._

"_NO..! NOO!_" Haruko shrieked, knowing it was hopeless.

"_Stay away from my daughter, monster!_" Yuto ran up to the demon with a paddle in his hand and smacked the demon as hard as he could. The demon fell off, as he didn't see that attack coming. Haru quickly saw this as the chance to quickly get up.

"Freakin' human..._ I'll fucking kill you!_" The demon roared and charged at Yuto. The determined father tried his best to use is paddle to hold the demon off, but it suddenly grew twice in size, before biting the handle, breaking the paddle into two pieces. Panicking, the father fell on his butt and tried to crawl away, but he knew it was pointless to do so.

The demon excitedly licked his tongue. "What could be better than _two_ humans to devour in one night?" he spoke. "A father and daughter... _I will be sure to savour this meal!_"

He jerked his body, ready to leap on Yuto to eat him when he felt a solid object pull his neck aggressively. Haruko held it by the neck using a metal pole, trying to prevent it from going after her father. "N-No! I won't let you!"

"_Bitch-!_" The demon grew smaller to free his neck. He then grew big again and stood over Haruko, like a streetlight hovering over a person.

_'No way... the demon keeps changing his size!'_ Haruko thought, pale as snow. '_He's using it to his advantage!'_

Haruko let out a cry and used all the strength she had to bash the demon with the pole as hard as she could. The head instantly fell off, blood spurting from the chopped neck. Panting, she ran to her father.

"Daddy! Are you okay?" She asked, helping him up.

"No injuries," he said. "Let's move—"

The brunette let out a cry of pain. Yuto saw the demon, without it's head, digging its claws deep into the flesh of her left shoulder. He cackled maniacally, as if he was enjoying it—no, he _was_ enjoying it. The painful screams of a human suffering was such a pleasant feeling to him and his kind.

"HARU!" The father cried out.

The demon, who continued to dig its claws into Haruko's left shoulder, stroked her face with his other hand, in the manner of gently stroking a cat. "Watch as I feast on your beloved daughter," the demon's head declared. "But don't worry—you'll see her again soon."

"D-D-D-Daddy-!" Haruko struggled to break free from the demon's grasp, but his strength and her left shoulder's pain was too much to even fight against.

As for Yuto, he wouldn't give up. He grabbed another paddle near him and charged at the demon, but the demon held him back with his other arm. The two pressed against each other, trying to throw the other off. The demon then swiped his claws at Yuto's abdomen. The father screamed and fell to the floor in pain, clutching his injury.

"DAD!" Haruko shrieked, struggling more than ever.

The demon's head laughed at her father's failed attempt to fight him. The body then leaped towards its head with Haruko in tow. He held her down, right beside its head in order to kill her properly.

"_No-! Please-!_" Yuto begged, still holding onto his stomach. "_Don't kill her please! She's all that I have left! Have mercy-!_"

Obviously the demon had no sense of empathy. He was only focused on eating her first. "Well you will see her again when I devour you next!"

The demon's body turned to the direction of the brunette. "Hmm... which part should I eat first?" The demon's head murmured, with the body's finger stroking across her body. It stopped at her chest. "Perfect!"

This was it. She was done, for real. She closed her eyes, ready to feel the pain, _ready to die_. The demon's head happily leaped onto her chest, licking its lips as if it was the sixth time today. Suddenly, a foot collided with the head, sending it rolling. Then the foot kicked the body's stomach, sending it rolling as well. Confused, Haruko opened her eyes and saw a tall man who had blue eyes, messy black hair tied into a low ponytail, and wore a two-toned haori over a Demon Slayer Corps uniform. He also wore a calm, seemingly emotionless expression on his face.

"Tch," the demon's head said. "What's this?"

The man said nothing. He pulled out his sword from his sheath. Haruko and her father watched.

_"Fourth Style: Striking Tide."_

The man then swung multiple slashes at the demon whilst twisting his body, with his final slash coming into contact with the nape of the neck. The body then shook violently, with the demon's head screaming at the top of his lungs. After a few moments, both the demon's body and head disintegrated into red dust, obliterating them into nothing.

After a few moments of staring at where the body stood, he turned to Haruko and her father, who were helping each other stand up. The brunette was exhausted and hurting after that dreadful encounter, but she still had the energy to speak to the slayer. "... Th-Thank you so much."

The slayer nodded. He eyed the two family members. "... You're hurt. Those are deep wounds. Get it cleaned immediately."

"Yes, sir...?" Yuto asked. He knew he should get this slayer's name to be more proper in thanking him.

"... Giyu Tomioka." The man sharply told them.

"Giyu-san..." Haruko repeated. "Giyu-san, we can't thank you enough for saving us there. We would have been as good as dead had you-"

"Don't worry about it." Giyu interrupted. He still faced them. "... You two are not going to survive in that house. It's open to many demons out there, and staying there is risky. Which means you two must pack up and move to a safer place."

Yuto felt like he was punched in the stomach. Leave his home? His family's home? Even after that encounter, they weren't going to leave that house. He raised an eyebrow. "Wait—_what? Move?_"

The Demon Slayer nodded. "But... _we_ _can't_," Yuto said. "I mean yes, we barely survived that encounter, but we can still fend off those nasty creatures right? We will just be more careful next time and-"

"_BEING_ more careful is not enough," The blue-eyed man spoke strictly. "Unless you want more demons after your organs, you would have to leave this place and move somewhere safer."

Haruko wanted to agree, but the thought of leaving her childhood home kept her from doing so. It was her and her father's true home. As for her father, he thought about it. Sure, this was their home, and where the family has lived for years now. They had so much happy times in that place, and it would be unbearable if they were to leave those memories behind. But the young man had a point. They lived in such an open area, they are vulnerable to demon attacks, and perhaps if they were to stay, their encounter a few minutes ago wouldn't certainly be their last. As hard as this was to do, this was to ensure that none of them would be in danger again. The hardest choices required strongest wills. **(A/N: If you know this reference, then you are a man of culture.)**

"... _Fine._ We will move." Yuto reluctantly said.

"_After_ you clean up." Giyu reminded them before sheathing his sword and turning away to leave.

"W-Wait! Giyu-san." Haruko stuttered a bit, nervous about what she was gonna say. The raven-haired slayer turned to her, waiting for her to say something.

"... _Is there a way I can become a Demon Slayer?_" Haruko asked.

Yuto's jaw dropped. He stared at her in complete disbelief, like he was staring at someone who's disappointed him greatly.

"... If you greatly wish to tackle risks and fight demons with a brave heart, then yes," Giyu told her. "But the road to becoming one is heavily rocky. Are you even certain you could do it? Even if you couldn't pry that demon off?"

Haruko paused. "Strength and will alone aren't enough to be a Demon Slayer," Giyu said, turning away from her. _"It also takes courage and self-sacrifice_." Then he disappeared in a flash.

The brunette watched where he originally was standing. With demons roaming around and threatening not only her family but other people, she thought that sitting around letting them do all the work wasn't in her morale. She had to do it. Do it herself.

She walked over to her father. "Like Giyu-san said, we should treat our wounds first before we-"

"_Haru! I told you not to wander off alone at night, even if you were searching for me!_" Yuto suddenly yelled. Haruko stiffened in terror. He waited to finally release all his worries. "_You could have been killed, you know?_"

He then hugged her. "... I was extremely worried about you," he continued on. "But regardless, it's good that we are still standing. Standing alive. Just please don't be so reckless next time. It won't do any good to you, even if it's right."

Haruko hugged her dad back. "Right."

"And one more thing..." Her father pulled away and placed his hands on her shoulders, a serious look on his face. "... Don't ever bring up the topic of wanting to be a Demon Slayer. Got that?"

"But why-"

"Just... don't. It's dangerous, and I do not want to worry about losing you if you're gonna do it. Am I clear?"

"... Okay." The brunette hesitantly replied.

But she didn't take his word for it. She needed to do it now.

* * *

Haruko and her father instantly went to the nearby village to get their wounds treated. They were lucky they didn't stumble upon demons on their way. After they were treated, they requested to stay at an inn for the night. After a surprisingly peaceful sleep, they went back to their house and started packing their stuff. Of course, they were pretty much numb and gloomy in the process, because they would have to leave their happy memories behind, especially the memories of their deceased family member living there.

Now, it was time to go. Haruko looked back at her house one last time, a somber look on her face. She was probably never going to see it again, but it was perhaps for the best. All the time spent, all the memories..

"... I know Haru."

Her father basically read her expression. He knew exactly what his daughter felt. "But... like Giyu-san said. It's for the best."

He placed his hand on her shoulder. "Let's go."

The father walked straight ahead and never looked back. Haruko instantly followed... and looked at her house just one, last, time. She sighed deeply.

"... _Goodbye_."

Then she followed her father.

It was a quiet walk, with only the sound of footsteps hitting the snow and packages rattling in their bags being head. They didn't know what to say nor they had the energy to say anything. All it took was one event that changed their lives forever.

But for Haruko, that event wasn't definitely—no, that event won't be the last if she just obliged. After that encounter yesterday, she has realised that there would be more demons that could come after her family, and other humans. If she were to comply, then she wouldn't be able to do anything. She couldn't be assured, even if her father knew how to defend himself. In retrospect... they were pretty much vulnerable unless _someone_ was there. _Someone_ that could ensure the safety of her family. If she wants them completely safe, then she would have to take the risks. She would have to become a Demon Slayer.

Moving to safety wasn't enough.

* * *

**So I won't be able to update that much because I've got finals and college requirements :( But I can assure you that I'll try my best to update as possible! Also, in the later chapters, I'll be sure to show Haruko's flaws and insecurities. I'm really trying my best here! Here's some info for her if you want to read:**

**Name: Haruko Adachihara**

**Hair Color: Brown**

**Eye Color: Indigo**

**Personality: Haruko is generally a cheerful and energetic girl who does the best she can to help others. She is also polite, respectful, and prides herself on doing her best. Although she's friendly, she is low-self esteemed and has trouble making some friends. Due to her insecurities, she can be incredibly stubborn and her hardworking aspect isn't good half of the time, resulting in overworking. Despite her shortcomings, Haruko is incredibly selfless and will do anything to ensure the safety of her loved ones and be the best Demon Slayer she can be.**

**Speaking of Haruko, I think she might a potential love interest...**

**But of course I'll make sure to develop it properly, a slow burn! Anyways, until next time.**


End file.
